Apparatus for separating solid particles from each other.



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,gzrmoulon FILED xov. 1a. 1905.

2 sums-sum 1. I

eweak N01 8653260. V PATENTED SEPT. 3,1907:

A. 1 58; MACQUISIBN. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING S0 PARTICLES PROM EACH OTHER.

' APPLICATION r xov.1a.19ma

2 sums-sum '2 film?" ARTHUR PENRHYN STANLEY MACQUISTEN, OF GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATIN G SOLID PARTICLES FROM EACH OTHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1907.

' Application filed November 16, 1905. Serial No. 287,720.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR PENRHYN STANLEY M/io UIsTEN, a subject of the King of Great Britain,

residing at 33 Renfield street, Glasgow, Scotland, N. 13., chartered accountant, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Apparatus for Separating Solid Particles froin'Each Other, of which the following is a specification. i

This invention relates to apparatus for separating solid particles from each other by methods such as described in my pending U. S. application Serial No. 268,276, filed July 3, 1905, which are based on the fact thatsome substances when conveyed to or through the surface of a liquid are more readily retained at or on that surface than other substances, and that consequently in a mixture of such substances those which are more readily retained at or on the surface can, on account of such property, be separated by flotation from those which are not.

The preferred form of apparatus for practicing this.

method of separation is hereinafter described, and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1' is a longitudinal section, partly in elevation, showing the general arrangement of one form of 1 pparatus; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on'line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a part plan view of the same; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of a modified form of up paratus; and Fig.5 is a perspective view of a portion of a further modification.

Referring to these drawings, it is to be understood as is more fully described in the specification above referred to that the mixture of particlcsof diff erentcharactors, which we will assume to be a pulp of crushed metallilcrous ore, is fed into a hopper a by which it is introduced into the interior of a horizontal rmolving cylinder I], or equivalent apparatus, whi h is partially filled with or revolves partially immerscd in water or other suitable liquid.

The slow rotation by suitable means by the cylinder 1), the axis of which may be slightly inclined to the horizontal on the supporting rollers 1: brings the particles borne thereon to or through the surface of the liduid alternately inan emerging and u sulnnergingdirt-c tion and the separation of the inefallifcrous particles I from the gaugue is effected on such emergence or sub mergence by the selective capillary action of flu: liquid surface, the metalliferous particles being borne away on the surface of the liquid stream while thc gang-n0 particles sink to the bottom. above the surface of the liquid owing to [he stccp mug-l0 at which they are carried which is greater than the an- 1 gle of repose of the mass, they roll back upon and u\'\'1 theasceiuling mass, so that fresh nictallifcrous parliclos arerepeatcdly exposed to the action of thesurfacc of the liquid and are caused to float, this operation being effected very often and so gently that a very thorough As the purliclcscmcrgc I separation takes place. The repeated subjection of the mixture 'by the conveyor to the capillary actidn of the liquid surface effects the practically complete separation of the two classes of particles, the Inetalliferous particles being carried by the stream on the surface of the liquid through the tank dand over its edgef into a launder e whence it passesto a subsiding tank g from which the overflowliquid passes to another tank It and is thence pu'niped to an elevated storage tank 1' for future use. The other particles subside in the tank'd from Which they may be transferred to a second separating apparatus (1 at a lower level in which the separating process is repeated and the separated Inetalliferous particles are borne over the edge of the vessel d into the launder a and thence to the subsiding tank g, the contents of the vessel d passing into the tank h.

In order to prevent transverse surface currents produced by the rotation of the drum b, whereby particles which are separated frhin the gangue on suluncrgenco are transferred to the opposite wall and again picked up by the liquid thereon and carried round with the drum;

the separating process being thus needlessly performed scvcral times over, a longitudinal baffle 71. is provided extending from the charging end of the drum to the edgcf of the vessel c], this baffle dipping in the liquid a sufficient depth to prevent transverse currents and being suitably supported} preferably in the medial plane of the drum, as by means of a fixed axial rod '11. carried by the frame of the apparatus.

When a number of drums b dischargc into one vessel d, as shown in the drawings, longitudinally circulating surface currents arc crcatcd in the liquid, and to obviate thcsc, surface parlil ions or baffles m are provided cx- Lcnding across the 'vcsscl (1 between adjacent cylinders h. The ends of those bafilcs as also Illc ends of baffles rt may be nuulc liquid right by connccliug them y strips of imliarubbcr with the walls of thc vessel (1.

If is obvious that instead of a drum scvcrul diaunctcrs in long! h. a scrics of shorter vcsscls arrang cd tandem fashion and suitably coinicclcd by troughs or laumlcrs or spiral c nv yors unty bu substituted. Or llucon- \'l"\'(l' ilovico may be rotated in a fixed liquid contain- I lug vcssr-l. and may consist of inicrlupping cones I), as

shown in hi 4.

Anoflu-r lypc of conveyor is iu-licawl in Fig. I) in which a li'nvcling band is constrained by guidc pullr-ys' r. s in pass rcpculcdly imo and out of the body of j liquid conmincil in u lixcd vcsscl I, in this -usc the liquid sli'caui would be directed transvcrscly [o the travel of" the bolt. so llllll Lhc separated iucl-.\lliicrous particles may bc transported clear of IhcconYcycr us speedily as possible. 'lhc advantage of couvcying or scparutiug dcviccs the walls of which arc not continuous, is that the scpzuulcd nu-lullifcrous particles may in these Cascs be floated cleanof the rotating convcycr more quickly. 4

It is to be noted that in many cases the conveying or separating devices above referred'tolmay be;oscil1ated instead, of being rotated, or they may lie modified so as to make them suitable for an oscillatory movement.

These yarious conveying or separating devices are merely described as some of the many possible forms which this apparatus may take, the only essential condition being that the apparatus should be of a character adapted to take up and support the ore pulp or other mixed particles and convey them to or throu@ the surface of the iiquid repeatedly during their passage through the separating vessel.

4 To assist the removal of the separated mineral particles from the neighbor-hood of the conveyor, a series of air jets may be used to direct streams of air along the surface of the liquid in the direction in which the particles are required to be transported.

direction as to carry the particles therethrough and -to cause them to roll back tothe surface of the liquid.

Means for separatingu mixture of finely divided particles of ore, comprising a support for said particles atranged io-rotute in contact with a body of liquid, said support passing through the surface of the liquid in such direction as to curry the particles therethrough and to cause them to roll liackio the surface of the liquid.

Means for separating a mixture of finely divided particles of ore,- comprising a cylinder arranged to rotate in contact with a body of liquid, said cylinder passing through the surface of the liquid in such direction as to carry the particles ,therethrough and to cause them to roll back to the surface of the liquid.

4-. Means "for separating a mixture of finclydivlded particles of ore, comprising a cylinder arranged to rotate in contact with a body of liquid, said cylinder passing through the surface of the liquid in such direction as to carry the particles therethrough and to cause them to roll back to the surface of the liquid, and a bailie longitudinally disposed in said cylinder for preventing transverse liquid currents therein.

in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR PENRHYN STANLEY MACQUIS'LEN.

Witnesses:

\VILLIAM Puma,

.Luuns ALLAN KENNuTrL 

